HELP SAVE THE CHICKENS!!!
0000______>>
Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 18:19:26 -0600
Subject: URGENT, TYSON'S CHICKENS ARE DYING.......
TYSON
FOODS :
CHICKENS DIE OF COLD, HUNGER, THIRST, AND SUFFOCATION.... PLEASE HELP.
----- Original Message -----
From: Franklin Wade <franklin at upc-online.org>
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2001 10:50 AM
http://www.hsus.org/whatnew/arkchickens010301.html
Arkansas Chickens and Chicken Farmers Left Out in the Cold
January 3, 2001
In western Arkansas, thousands of chickens are dying. Some have escaped
from caved-in buildings, others are still trapped inside. Most have been
without food or water for weeks. The first storm struck on December 13,
the second on Christmas day.
The roofs caved in and the power went out, shutting down the feeding
and watering machines. Thousands of chickens living in each building
were either crushed, caught in the wreckage, or forced outside into the
freezing cold.
An Unequal "Partnership"
The Arkansas farmers who raise chickens generally do so for corporations
such as Tyson Foods, the largest chicken producer in the country, and
Foster Farms.
(Some of the other major poultry players in the area are Cobb-Vantress
Inc., Peterson Farms Inc., and Simmons Foods Inc.) Tyson calls these
farmers "growing partners." Farmers are contracted to house and care for
the birds but do not own them. The corporations provide birds, supplies,
and technical assistance, while the farmers provide labor and housing.
Waiting for Help
When the barns collapse, the farming "partners" have no legal right to
move the chickens to a safe place. So while the birds die of cold,
hunger, thirst, and suffocation (from huddling too closely for warmth),
farmers must wait for the corporations to act.
Tyson, Foster Farms, and the other corporations had every reason to be
prepared for this disaster: Less than a year ago, snow and ice storms in
the area destroyed about 500 chicken houses, costing more than $25
million. Still, the companies don't appear to have created disaster
plans for removing, feeding, watering, or humanely euthanizing their
chickens.
What You Can Do
1. Contact Tyson and Foster Farms. Tell them that they must take
responsibility for their chickens and the chicken farmers. Say that they
MUST :
* Create responsible EMERGENCY plans and coordinate them
with state agencies. The plans must include the expeditious removal of
birds to a safe location, caring for them, and-as a last resort-humanely
euthanizing them;
* Reduce the number of chickens in chicken houses. Smaller
houses are more structurally sound, and it is much more feasible to
evacuate the birds;
* Clean up the contamination caused by the many thousands of
dead birds in the chicken houses and the surrounding grounds. The ground
water will be contaminated as the ice and snow melt.
2. Send copies of your letters to any of the following: The Poultry
Federation of Arkansas, the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, and
Arkansas legislators Tim Hutchinson and Blanche Lincoln.
Contact Information
Tyson Foods, Inc.
P.O. Box 2020
Springdale, AR 72765 501-290-4000
E-mail via comments at tyson.com
Foster Farms Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box 306
Livingston, CA 95334
E-mail via comments at fosterfarms.com
The Poultry Federation
Morril Harriman
321 South Victory
Little Rock, AR 72203
The U.S. Poultry and Egg Association
Animal Welfare Committee
1530 Cooledge Road
Tucker, GA 30084-7303
The Honorable Tim Hutchinson
2527 Federal Building
Little Rock, AR 72201
The Honorable Blanche Lincoln
3108 Federal Building
Little Rock, AR 72201
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Thanks so much for your kindness and help.
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